Title: Lusus Naturae

Chapter: Chapter Fifteen

Rating: M for Mousy

Warnings: Abuse, Death, Darkness

With the holidays fast approaching, negotiations began between the professors of Hogwarts. It was left for them to decide amongst themselves who would stay at the castle to chaperone over the break. Professor Snape would be staying at the castle, of course. The Potions Master rarely went home for the holidays - or for break as it were. Surprisingly, Remus Lupin volunteered to join him in ensuring the remaining students were properly supervised. Between the two of them, the Headmaster, and Deputy Headmistress McGonagall, the rest were free to do with their vacation as they wished.

The students were eagerly awaiting the final trip to Hogsmeade before Yule. There were presents to buy and farewell butterbeers to share. The third years, having already had their maiden voyage into the small village outside the grounds of Hogwarts, were thrilled to have an unsupervised trip to town. Harry Potter was looking forward to his first.

Professor Snape had been hesitant to allow it, but after several days of wearing him down, Harry won the argument. Neville, for his part, had done an excellent job of convincing Snape that he would bodily drag Harry away from any impending doom as if his own life depended on it. Professor Snape assured him that it would.

Thus, Harry and Neville joined their house mates as they trodded down the hill to Hogsmeade on rather bleak Saturday afternoon. Ron, Dean, and Seamus were loudly wagering on how many butterbeers they could down in one sitting. Hermione was walking a fair distance behind the three revising her revisionary book list with Padma Patil.

"Do they realize how stupid they sound?" Hermione sniffed.

Padma rolled her eyes. "Gryffindors."

"Hey," Hermione laughed, bumping the Ravenclaw with her elbow. "We're not all so... boisterous."

"That's a nice word for it," Neville grumbled.

Harry couldn't disagree. Ron had been his first friend in the Wizarding World and thinking fondly on his time spent with the boy, he couldn't help but feel ostracized. Dean had settled quickly into the spot at Ron's side where Harry normally stood. It was odd that they hadn't spoken about it. Ron normally spoke about anything on his mind - and loudly, at that.

Harry assumed it had to do with his relationship with Professor Snape. Neville said the topic came up in the Common Room from time to time after rumors of his sleeping arrangements came to light. The Weasley twins, Neville said, were quick to defend his honor at least.

In the past, such gossip might have annoyed Harry. Now it seemed drawn into the darker corners of his mind along with the rest of his negative thoughts. It was freeing to not have to worry about upsetting the youngest of the Weasley brothers with the occasional misinterpretted slight. Better yet to not have to sleep through Ron's snoring.

Something kept him focused on the boy that day, though. He couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. A memory half-formed floated at the edge of his consciousness that he couldn't grasp. It was important enough that Harry picked up his pace, staring intently into Ron's back as they made it into town.

Neville began leading Harry straight to Honeyduke's, gushing about their newest line of herb-infused sweet teas. He quickly realized his mistake, however.

"Oh, right. You can't-" Neville stumbled. "C'mon. Let's go check out Zonko's."

"It's alright, Nev," Harry said, grabbing onto Neville's sleeve. "I see Dogweed and Deathcap over there. Why don't we stop there first?"

"Really?" Neville said, eyes lighting at the idea that Harry would want to accompany him through the herbiary.

"Yeah," Harry laughed. "Then I want to try a butterbeer."

"You're sure that's okay?" Neville asked as they strolled down the alley.

"If it makes me puke I'll be sure to aim it at Ron," Harry whispered conspiratorily.

The spent quite a while perusing the shelves in Dogweed and Deathcap. Harry didn't particularly enjoy the barrage of aromas that assaulted his keen senses inside the musty shop, but Neville looked like a kid in a candy store. He asked the boy to help him pick out a suitable plant to gift to Professor Snape for Yule. They picked out a particularly withered Angel's Trumpet that the shopkeeper was less than willing to sell to two underaged students, but Neville had built a rapport with the old woman on his last trip and after explaining it was a gift for the dour Potions Professor seemed keen on the idea.

When they finished in the herbiary the two met up with Hermione as she and the Patil twins tried to find seats in the Three Broomsticks. The pub was well over capacity with the influx of Hogwarts students. Ron, Dean, and Seamus were seated at the bar chugging their fourth and fifth rounds of butterbeer.

"Wait your turn," called the barkeep, pushing through a group of children to reach the door. "Form a queue there! Out with the rest of you!"

The five of them quickly found themselves out on the street.

"Well," Hermione hummed. "There's always the Hog's Head?"

Padma and Parvarti looked at one another and promptly shook their heads. "We're going to stop by Gladrags," they said in unison. "Coming?"

Hermione looked between the pair and Harry and Neville with a frown. She seemed to consider it for a moment, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she played with the chain of a necklace hanging beneath her shirt.

"Go on," Harry said. "Nev and I are just going to walk around."

Hermione nodded with a relieved smile. "We're still on for Study Hall tomorrow!" she warned them as she fell into step with the twins.

The alley was mostly clear what with all the students waiting in line at the Three Broomsticks or occupying the other stores in the village. Harry and Neville walked mostly in silence.

"Harry," Neville asked as they turned round, making their way back towards the school. "Do you think you could teach me how to cast that spell?"

"Hm?"

"The one that sent the Dementor away."

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not sure I could do it again if you paid me," he said honestly. "I don't even know how I did it."

"We could look it up?" Neville suggested.

"Sure," Harry agreed. "Don't tell Professor Snape, though. He'll have our hides."

As they past the Three Broomsticks again, the trio emerged onto the street, having been kicked from the pub for overstaying their welcome. Seamus looked particularly green around the gills.

"Pay up," Ron declared. "Five galleons for five mugs of butterbeer!"

"I bought them with my own sickles," Dean argued. "I paid enough, thank you."

"Alright there mate?" Ron asked Seamus.

The irish lad doubled over and dry-heaved. "Go on without me," he moaned.

"Lightweight!"

As they meandered slowly up the hill, Harry realized what he had been trying to remember. Ron's pet rat - Scabbers - peeked his head out from the boy's hood and sniffed at the air before retreating into the folds of the robes with a squeak. Harry's nostrils flared as the scent of the rat reached him.

'Animagus' that voice in his mind told him. 'Get the rat. Now.'

Harry staggered, clutching his head. Neville gasped from beside him and a strong arm came around his shoulders to support him.

"Harry? What is it?"

He could barely hear Neville over the roaring sound that burst between his eardrums. Up ahead, Ron and Dean turned back to see what was going on.

"Oi, Harry," Ron called. "You alright?"

"C'mon," Dean said, trying to tug Ron back towards the path.

Neville propped Harry up against him. "Go get Professor Snape," he told the others.

"See," Dean laughed. "He's a slimy Slytherin now. I told you!"

Ron trudged down the hill looking torn. He stopped a few feet away from Harry.

"What's wrong with him?" he asked Neville.

"Go get Professor Snape," Neville demanded. "Now!"

"I'm okay," Harry interrupted, pushing himself upright against Neville's shoulder. "Just a headache. Let's get back."

"Alright, mate?" Ron said as Harry dragged Neville past him.

Harry shouldered into Ron as he went, nearly knocking him off his feet. He reached out to catch him before he fell.

"Sorry," he muttered in passing.

"Yeah, alright," Ron said awkwardly. "See ya back at the castle."

Ron jogged ahead to catch up with Dean, leaving Harry and Neville to slowly climb the hill alone.

"What was that all about?" Neville asked.

Harry looked up, slipped his hands into his pockets, and shook his head. "I'll tell you later," he said.

"There was nothing off about him when he returned?"

Severus glowered at the Headmaster. His patience for these tiresome debriefs was fleeting at the best of times. This was the third time in a week.

"It was your suggestion that he be allowed to visit Hogsmeade," Snape said slowly. "He returned with all of his extremities intact. Longbottom assured me nothing untoward took place. Unless you have reason to believe otherwise, I will have to take his word for it."

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers over the desk top. "When Harry was last infirm, I took the liberty of adding an observation charm to his pendant."

Severus' eye twitched. "Without informing either myself or Madame Pomfrey, I would assume?"

"It did not come up," Dumbledore replied smoothly. "Fortunate that I did. While Harry was in Hogsmeade one of those detection charms alerted me to an unusual expenditure from his magical core."

"One of? There are multiple, then," Snape seethed.

"You're missing my point, Severus," the Headmaster sighed with a wave of his hand. "I believe there is something we are missing. I need your assistance if we are to uncover the truth."

"Clearly," Severus hissed as he stood to his feet. "If you had consulted with Poppy or I, you would know of our theory that the glamours are responsible for the overreactions of his core and thought better of adding to the strain. If I am to supervise him, it would be beneficial to the cause if I were made aware of changes to his oversight in the future."

He stalked towards the door. Dumbledore tried to call him back, but he was unsure if he could look the old bastard in the eye without cursing him. When he was free from the Headmaster's tower, Severus made his way to the Hospital Wing, hoping Madame Pomfrey could convince him not to destroy that damned necklace once and for all.

That night Harry stood from his bed and carefully extracted a small box from the bottom drawer of his dresser. He lifted the lid and deposited his stolen bounty inside.

The rat was frozen, immoblized by a non-verbal, wandless 'Petrificus Totalus'. He wondered if he should bother keeping the thing alive. The lower lids of his eyes twitched back in anticipation, but he thought better of it.

Pettigrew was the least of his concerns. A servant in hiding did him no favors. Black, on the other hand, could serve many purposes. Especially once exonerated of all charges.

Harry slipped the cover back on the box and returned it to the drawer. That clawing darkness tore at his concentration. Thinking in the light was so bloody difficult.

He would need to find the right time to approach Black with this fortuitious gift. Perhaps over the winter holiday. Yes, that would have to do.

A/N: Slightly back on track I think. The holiday break is going to be wild.